Open Letter to Medium CEO, Tony Stubblebine

Hello,

First I like to thank all the staff at Medium for creating this incredible vehicle and forum for writers and amateurs, allowing them to quickly and cheaply show their work.

Medium has empowered me to write more frequently and stimulated me not only to write but also to dig deep into the ideas and inquiries we all share as humans in our journey through this often tortuous and challenging life.

During the last few years, I have enjoyed a steady stream of readers who have discussed and commented on my writings. And I can only remember the bygone days when my articles would only see the eyes of friends, aunts, and uncles and then destined to be filed in some drawer. The age of the Internet is a democratic dream come true, at least in its potential.

However, since the end of 2022, this activity has abruptly stopped. Gone are my viewers; gone are the comments and also the earnings. I don’t come to Medium for money. I am a nurse with a solid profession, able to generate a reasonable income for as long as I need. But money cannot be overlooked because it is the ultimate validation of someone’s writing and ideas that have touched someone and perhaps made a difference in their lives.

I was puzzled by this acute change. Perhaps it was my fault or something I did wrong by Medium policies and standards. Maybe I’ve used some photos I collected on the Internet that should not have been there. I have since removed them. I have contacted Medium support in hopes of clarifying if my account was being restricted. After sending three e-mails without a response, I have decided to write to you personally.

I have not changed my writing and the contents of it. Since the beginning, I have aligned with Medium’s goal of providing exceptional value to others. And I wonder what has changed. I wonder if my readers went away at the same time. Highly unlikely. I have also heard from multiple writers who have reported experiencing the same problems.

Lately at Medium is like the lights are on but no one is there

The only possible explanation is a change in what Medium perceives as being of value. I cannot control that. But I like to remind you that the little people and the underdogs are the ones who…